The aetiology of maxillofacial injuries and the seat belt law.

Between the period 1 February 1981 and 31 January 1985, 678 patients with maxillofacial injuries were referred to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, at Southampton General Hospital. The commonest two aetiological factors in this group of patients were alleged assaults and road traffic accidents. Seat belt legislation in the United Kingdom was introduced on 1 February 1983. The compliance with seat belt usage rose to 90-95% for all front seat occupants after the legislation. The incidence of maxillofacial trauma cases arising in the front seat occupant group of patients dropped from 20.9% (78 patients) in the 2 years before the legislation to 5.9% (18 patients) in the 2 years after the legislation. The difference is statistically significant (p less than 0.001).